Letter from the editor-in-chief

The intuitive, emotional concept of 'Generations' based on the
provocative Patek Philippe tagline: 'You never actually own a Patek
Philippe; you merely take care of it for the next generation',
perfectly encapsulates the power of a legacy.

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AROON PURIE

May 25, 2010

ISSUE DATE: June 7, 2010

UPDATED: June 22, 2010 15:13 IST

Aroon Purie

The intuitive, emotional concept of 'Generations' based on the provocative Patek Philippe tagline: 'You never actually own a Patek Philippe; you merely take care of it for the next generation', perfectly encapsulates the power of a legacy. It's of the same calibre as an enduring love affair that resonates on a deeper level than pure desire. On its fifth anniversary, Spice recreates the haunting allure of cult favourites that have passed through the passage of time to inspire genres and generations.

From Chanel's sartorial elixirs of youth to Gucci's explosion of expression, we trace the career graphs of icons that have traded on their history. Cartier articulated its allegiance to India by creating a limited edition Santos watch with a Taj Mahal motif when it opened its Delhi store in 2008 while the Stirrup collection of watches by true-blue Yankee label Ralph Lauren epitomises its equestrian heritage.

With talk of bloodlines and thoroughbreds, can the Kentucky Derby be far from the mind? Amid the rolling idyllic of Louisville's elegant mansions, expansive stud farms, grassy downs and picturesque distilleries, Spice captures the lifeblood of the city-Bourbon, Bluegrass and Bluebloods. We partake in the cult-like veneration for bourbon, in particular, Maker's Mark with its distinctive dripping red wax seal on the cap. It is handmade (as opposed to mass produced) and manufactured in limited quantities of 60,000 cases a year. Maker's is the only bourbon manufacturer that substitutes wheat for traditional rye in its making; hence the smoother, mellower texture.

For those addicted to the cult of classics, it's not just the mood of mellow that invokes reverence. The seduction of speed is just as enticing. For wheel fanatics with a crush on history, it's the vintage that contours the mania. Spice rifles through the dusty tracks of heritage to present a collection of some of the rarest and priciest cars in the world-from the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (the most expensive car in the world) to the Mercedes Benz 300SL (fondly christened the sports car of the century), these automobiles are not just beautiful but have inspired a generation of trends.

Here, novelty is the accessory to flaunt and exclusivity the leitmotif of the club. Interestingly, most cars scorching the road or tracks today have inherited something from these glorious behemoths.

From allegorically grand to surreal glory, Spice flutters through time to succumb to the nostalgia of Indian art. We break through the insipid moorings of the 19th and 20th century to stir things up-from the salacious gossip provided by Amrita Sher-Gil to Ravi Varma's sari-draped icons of luscious modesty to Souza's brazen nudes.

With heritage and hedonism as twin goals, we voyage through a floating palace in the hills of Tripura; luxuriate at the Amankora resorts in Bhutan and eventually seek bliss in the spiritual environs of a monastery on Manjuli island smack in the middle of the Brahmaputra in Assam.

Next on our heritage trail, the most compelling list of contemporary covetables: ideas, products, people and destinations that have spurred the growth of the luxury industry. The exhaustive index reviews the fervid relentlessness of perfection-art to automobiles and trends to trivia.

From the archetypical to the unbridled, Spice salutes the genius of ageless relics.

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